Angie Gardner looking forward to getting started at the new CCCCA

ALBANY — She doesn’t have any students. She doesn’t have any teachers. She has no staff. She has no classrooms. She has no permanent office. She has no curriculum. But Angie Gardner does have one thing — she has a school.

Last month, Gardner was named the first principal of the new Commodore Conyers College and Career Academy (CCCCA) and she is working with a clean chalkboard.

“This is a whole new ball of wax and is the type of position I have prayed for,” Gardner, the former Assistant Principal at Dougherty High said. “I’ve had an opportunity to work in corporate America and found out being a principal is what I wanted to be. So this is kind of like a dream come true for me. We are working with a blank slate here and it’s open to incorporating all the good things that I know students need to be successful and to push the academics and education to make it all happen.”

The CCCCA’s mission and curriculum will be designed around the work-force needs of our community by working in partnership with local businesses and industries and with Albany Technical College to determine the high-demand jobs here in the region and then build the program around those needs.

All of the academy’s students will be required to be dually enrolled at either Albany Tech or Albany State University. The goal is for the students to graduate high school with college hours or certifications, helping to create a work-ready workforce for a smooth transition into college.

“Hiring a principal was a big step for us,” CCCCA CEO Chris Hatcher said. “Angie has prior business experience in pharmaceuticals, and she is a former teacher and was a high school assistant principal. These experiences are helpful as one of her jobs will be to build a connection between area businesses and the Dougherty County School System.

“This is a great jump forward for us.”

A native of Albany and a 1992 graduate of Monroe High School, Gardner thinks her connections and relationships within the community will help her build bridges with parents and business leaders.

“I understand our community and I understand the relationships. How to help those families that may not understand the big picture,” Gardner said. “Because I am from the community people know me. The kids have seen me at the elementary school and high school level and many have already developed personal relationships with me. This will make it easier for me to convey the importance of them being able to transition from high school to a career.”

When asked what she saw as her greatest challenge, Gardner said she had been so busy thinking of the CCCCA’s opportunities rather than potential stumbling blocks.

“I think my most immediate challenge is starting the marketing piece to help parents understand this is a unique opportunity for their children to be a part of something special,” Gardner said. “It’s not going to be troublesome or cumbersome for them, it’s actually an opportunity and a benefit we’ve never seen before. Right now we just have to put it all together and let them see what it looks like so we can get more kids involved.”

And who does Gardner see as a potential CCCCA student?

In my mind I see three or four different kinds of college and career academy students,” Gardner said. “I see students who are going to tack the college track. I see students who can get the additional hands on experience. I see the non-traditional student who can get their manufacturing certificate or apprenticeship, and then I see a student who is in limbo who needs the maturity, the job skills and the training which will circulate through our halls.

“So I see four different levels of students, and I am very excited for the opportunity.”